The Eastern Cape

Ben Skinner just returned from the Eastern Cape of South Africa having spent the last 7 days with Professional Hunter John Oosthuizen of Hunters and Guides (hunters@huntersandguides.co.za). This was Ben's first trip overseas to hunt and like most of my clientele he went well prepared and fueled with enthusiasm. Hunters and Guides had arranged for Ben to hunt out of the Lukhanyo Lodge Reserve not far from Grahamstown. While rain hampered the first and second day of his hunt they made up for lost time for the remainder of his trip.

Ben carried a Legend he has hunted with for 15 years that is chambered for 300 Winchester Magnum and loaded with 180gr Nosler AccuBond bullets. When given the opportunity he did his best to make his shots count. He did have a few closing comments as he pulled into his driveway to reunite with his wife and kids "The trip was much more enjoyable that I had ever expected it would be, John, Chris and the team were just amazing to be with" and "the Legend as always, worked flawlessly"

The hunt was over way to soon and he left the Cape with a hat full memories and an appreciation for the hunters, trackers and game he encountered while under the Southern Cross. Congratulations Ben

Snake Bit

It was easy to tell the that all was not well by the tone of voice on the other end of the line. It would seem that a 7mm Bore Snake was stuck vault tight inside the barrel of a 7mm Legend. A kink in the Snake was observed making the corner at the ejection port as the cord was being pull through the muzzle. When the kink slipped into the chamber the Snake came to an abrupt halt.

Undeterred the owner now applied more tension on the cord hanging out of the muzzle, nothing moved. Things now get a bit vague and I'm not exactly sure just what happened over the next couple hours. An accomplice to this event graciously offered assistance, 4 hands came into play, I think a come-along was suggested and perhaps a mule got involved. At some point in the struggle the forward end of the Snake parted just behind the bronze brush section of the Snake. Now no sign of the Snake was visible from the muzzle end, and a flashlight revealed just a faint vestige of the Snake in the chamber. Things had just gone South.

The team re-grouped, put their heads together again and devised a plan that apparently involved a wooden dowel and a screw mounted on the dowel that was inserted through the receiver and into the chamber end of the barrel in a last ditch attempt to snag the Snake. I think some alcohol was involved but I can't confirm this.

It was after the last attempt that I got the first phone call. The rifle was eventually packaged up and sent my way. This gave me time to think about a solution to this problem, I admit the options looked pretty bleak.

Now I personally like the Bore Snake for keeping the chamber and barrel clean on my hunts. If hunting in particularly bad weather I will generally pull the Snake through the bore before I start the day and after I return at dark no matter how tired I am. Like my knife, it's part of my field gear and I have yet to have one jam in the bore. Was the kink in the cord the contributing factor? was it the correct caliber Snake used to begin with ? While waiting for the rifle to arrive I began to experiment with different solvents that might aid in breaking down the nylon fibers on a spare Snake I had in the shop. Of the 5 liquids I tried only Lacquer Thinner seemed to make the nylon fibers at least more supple and slippery. The Net didn't offer up any incite worth bookmarking. This was going to be interesting to say the least.

The rifle arrived and the barrel removed from the receiver. The breech end of the Snake could be seen in the neck section of the chamber. The chamber was too narrow for pliers, hemostats, or any other tool I might have at my disposal to reach the end of the snake. I decided to pour some lacquer thinner in the chamber end as the barrel stood vertical in my trash can. Frankly I was at a loss as to what to do next other than fit a flat brass jag to a Dewey rod and give the Lacquer soaked Snake a push from the muzzle end. Nothing Moved, the Snake was dug in like a tick.

While at lunch I mentioned the situation to my wife as she was building a sandwich and she suggested an idea that I immediately turned 180 degrees to form a different approach from her original idea. I never finished lunch, I headed straight back to the shop. I located a 12" piece of 3/16" O-1 Drill Rod, chucked it up in the lathe and turned an ogive shape onto the end of the O-1 rod. I polished the ogive section of the O-1 with fine Wet or Dry paper, hit it with some Scotch-Brite and then heated the ogive area of the rod to a dull red color with my torch. As gently and as accurately as I could I pushed the red hot rod into the center of the nylon Snake visible in the chamber neck. The rod melted into the nylon about a 1/4 " before coming to a halt. I let the rod cool for about 10 minutes and then gently pulled on the O-1 rod. Out slid the Bore Snake just easy as you please. The nylon had indeed fused itself to the red hot end of the O-1 as I had hoped.

Perhaps the displacement of the fibers via the heat transfer had eliminated or reduced the size of the kink, perhaps the Lacquer thinner lubricated the Snake enough to reduce the friction in the bore even  more. I will never really know completely.

Feeling like I just snatched this disaster from the jaws of death I cleaned the barrel to insure all the  nylon residue was removed from the chamber and throat area before screwing the barrel back into the receiver. Then to further confirm that all was "happy Christmas" I dug out the Bore Scope to visually inspect and confirm the barrel was clear and ready to test fire.

What I saw next through the lens of the Bore Scope curled my toes. The entire shoulder, neck and lead area of the chamber was trashed beyond any repair from the attempt to retrieve the Snake with the wooden dowel and wood screw. There was nothing at this stage that was going to save this barrel to shoot another day. Unfortunate as this barrel had only been shot enough to work up a good accurate TTSX load just before the incident.

Time of death was called at 5:17 pm. Saturday afternoon.

Sometimes even your best attempts are just not enough.

Shipping 101

Over the years I have witnessed a number of unfortunate shipping disasters. Not to long ago I picked up what had once been a much better than average Pre-64, 375 H&H Super Grade from my Post Office. The case used to ship the rifle may have cost $30.00 at a big box store. The thin cardboard sleeve covering the case offered nothing in the way of added protection. When I signed for the package with my Post Master a casual look over the exterior of the box showed no visual signs of trauma. Every time I receive one of these cases containing a high grade rifle I feel as if I have just run into a mine-field. When I opened the case back at the shop my heart sank. A crime had been committed, the wrong case had once again been used for shipping! The phone call to the owner started out something like this " time of death for your Super Grade was 9:46 am ".

The owner, a great client and friend, had removed the bolt from this rifle, wrapped it in one layer of bubble wrap and placed the bolt body under the barrel ahead of the fore-end tip then closed and taped the latches shut. He slipped the plastic case into a cardboard sleeve and dropped the rifle off with his postmaster on his way to his son Lacrosse practice. The trip across the country must have been pretty rough. During that trip the bolt body had migrated out of the bubble wrap then back and forth from the trigger guard bow to the muzzle. The dents and dings in the barrel and fore-end while repairable required significant cost for these repairs. The Redfield receiver sight which had been in excellent condition before the trip now was bent beyond any chance of repair. The rifle itself was now positioned in one corner of the case and in contact with the hinge side of the case and not located anywhere the center of the case. Further proof the that the rifle was migrating on a quest of its own inside the case during it's travels west. To add insult to injury the package was not insured.

Over the years I have used and have received a serious selection of gun cases. Aluminum, molded plastic, fiberglass, regular cardboard boxes with and without foam centers, triangles, cardboard tubes you name it, I've seen it. As with many things in life generally the more money you spend on a case the greater the degree of protection you can expect. The heavier the case, the more you'll pay for shipping cost but the money spent for this protection is well worth the investment on the front end. I have used a variety of Aluminum cases over the years, some designs are excellent and can withstand a lot of abuse while keeping the contents secure. However I have had rifles shift in transit encased in aluminum and had both the recoil pad or muzzle damaged created on sharp inside edges of the case left over from the manufacture process. Once again not all cases are created equally despite the cost outlay.

I have sadly received more big box cases than any other model design. These molded plastic case are cheap and can be found almost anywhere. They typically come with an egg carton foam liner that is 1" thick per side but with the egg shell pattern the bottom of the cavities only offer on average a 1/2" of thickness. When these Big Box cases are purchased a cardboard sleeve is usually not included in the sale. I consider the best use of these type of cases is for going to your rifle range and traveling to a hunting area in or out of state in your personal vehicle. While this style case is used for shipping firearms across the country everyday by all the major carriers you are taking on a significant risk in using this type of case for interstate transportation. I would NEVER fly with one of these cases to any hunting destination.

If you insist on using one of these thin cheaply molded plastic cases to ship a rifle or shotgun it is best to roll up and tape linear sections of bubble wrap and lay these along the sides the firearm to help prevent the firearm from migrating in the case during transport. Wrap the bolt body in bubble wrap and surround the bolt body with these linear pads to prevent the bolt from coming in contact with the rifle.

Failure to do so is just asking for disaster.  Do what ever it takes to find a cardboard sleeve that allows for a minimum of  2" of padding on either side of the Big Box case as well as on either end. If you have less than 2" of additional padding around the Big Box case GOOD LUCK in claiming any insurance from the carrier. Typically your cardboard sleeve will need to be 54" to 56" in length. Then fill the cavity between the gun case and the sleeve with packing peanuts, really fill it, pack it, cram it and jam it so the plastic case can not shift, move and rattle during transit. I have used this method many times in the past to ship Legends, never a Classic. As of Jan 2015 I will never ship another Legend even re-enforced in a Big Box case and cardboard sleeve as the stakes have just gotten to high.

I mentioned aluminum cases, most of these cases protect a firearm very well. They are a quantum leap forward in protecting your firearm while shipping firearms across the state or country and certainly for air travel. Full length hinges are a good thing with these aluminum cases, look for them. Locking bars are another options as are retracting or flush mounted latches. Before you buy, open the case and feel under the edges of the foam inserts, are the edges under the foam sharp and ragged ? If the cases is tossed by baggage handlers and the firearm slips under the foam and up against any sharp edges you might have problems, I have seen this happen more than once. Unless your traveling to a hunting destination using a cardboard sleeve slid over the aluminum case is also a good idea. I'd rather have a potential thief have to ponder whats is in the sleeve than knowing he has a firearm right off by all the travel stickers and pro-gun propaganda logos plastered on the sides of an un-sleeved case. The cardboard sleeve will only apply for carrier shipping. Air travel of course requires easy visual access to the firearms for TSA and custom agents.

Bar none the best cases I have used to date have been the Pelican 1750 and the Storm-Case im3300. I prefer to ship every Classic or Legends that leaves the shop today in one of these cases. These two cases come with three separate solid layers of foam.

If this style case is to be devoted to a particular rifle then the center section sleeve of foam can be cut to fit that rifle and scope further preventing the rifle to migrate in the case during the transit. The cut outs can be done so the bolt is removed from the rifle or installed in the rifle, cavities can be cut for small tool containers as well. Done properly the protection allowed in this type of case to the firearm is excellent. You can also invest in additional middle foam sleeves cut for different rifles to extend the use of this style case. One case and two extra sleeves can cover a lot of hunting around the world.

The Storm and Pelican cases are not expensive when compared to the protection they provide. I buy the 1750 Pelican case locally from a dealer that knows I will not pay for the case unless the cardboard sleeve comes intact with the new case. When I ship a rifle back to the client I advise them to save and store the sleeve in case the rifle ever needs to be returned for cleaning or maintenance.

Choice of carrier depends a lot on your location. I continue to use UPS, FED-EX and to a minor degree the US Postal System for all my shipments. Knock on wood, I have very, very few shipping issues over the last 30 plus years when I have shipped a firearm from this shop. However as stated in the beginning of this text incoming parcels have not always arrived in good nick. I can say that anytime I have had a problem the support to resolve the issue by both UPS as well as FED-EX has been very professional. With the exception of my local Postmasters dealing with USPS can be interesting to say the least.

You can get two scoped bolt action Sporters into one 1750 or im3300 but you will most definitely have to cut a cavity into the center foam section when flying to any destination. Even with weight restrictions today concerning air travel you are still only touching about 31 to 32 pounds with a single scoped rifle and approximately 10 more pounds with two scoped rifles in one of these cases.

If the unfortunate does happen and a firearm is damaged while in transit the "step and fetch" procedure to rectify the matter is not for the faint hearted or those with a limited amount of patience. The claim must be handled by the original shipper and not the recipient. Documentation of the shipment and any insurance coverage must be produced, pictures of the damage along with inspection by an agent representing the carrier will need to be carried out. The rotation of the earth will seem to stop as the wheels of compensation are considered by the insurance and shipping carrier. It is a slow painful death that can be avoided with the right case and some up-front expense.

The next time you get set to ship a firearm for any reason, sale, repair or for a hunt you might want to give some serious thought to the "what ifs" before you reach for that old $30 Big Box special with the broken hinge and the Scotch Tape.

Revisiting My Scope Ring Alignment Tools

This product was recently mentioned in John Barsness's newest book, Modern Hunting Optics that was reviewed on this Blog and I felt this was a good time to revisited the subject.

More often than not I am required to develop a tool for my own use and sometimes find others just might benefit from the same tool or fixture. This is the tale of such a tool. Both these 1" and 30 mm alignment tools are made from precision ground steel round stock. Rigidity is the name of the game here.

These 1"and 30 mm alignment tools were originally developed for the specific task of aligning both the front and rear scope rings that I install on the given receiver after the fabrication of these rings. The ID of both the front and rear ring is bored to the specific scope diameter + .001 They also serve to re-align the finished scope mounts whenever they were removed and or re-installed on that receiver.

Since my ring and base are integral I wanted a way tighten the base screws to the action and keep the rings in alignment. These tools allow access to both the front and rear sets of scope base screws. As the screws are tightened down the tool aligns the front and rear mounts in the same plane as the screws are drawn up tight. Even with a precision fit set of rings made to exacting tolerances I wanted a simple way to prevent one ring from possibly leaning to the right and the other to the left or twisting under the torque of the screw driver during the installation. These tools have been used in my shop for many years now and shipped to many clients that have both a set of 1" and a set of 30 mm rings for a singular rifle. Having both the 1" and 30 mm tools allows them to switch out and reinstall either set of rings  simply and accurately when required.

Over the years we also found a number of other scope mounting uses for these tubes that are very practical for the home enthusiast or professional gun smith using both custom and  conventional industry mounts. These tubes like any other bar type tool can be used to rotated the front ring 90 degrees into position and by having the rear ring attached to the tube as well will allow you to snug the rear ring into place with the scope base windage screws. The rigidity of the tube will insure that the rear ring is inline with the front ring and that the scope will not be put under and undue stress laterally.

However this tool and method will not correct any vertical misalignment issues in height between the front and rear ring. It will instantly make obvious the amount of height deferential and allow you to determine if you will want to install a shim under a base to correct the height issue. I recommend always placing the shim under rear base so as to prevent elevation correction in the scope to be compromised.

Once you have installed a set dual dovetail rings and labored over getting both rings in-line with the typical assortment of tools for this job such as using apposing flat or pointed rods placed in each ring to turn the rings into alignment. Then lapped the rings to gain as much contact with the ID of the rings and the scope. The thought of then removing this set up and ruining the fruits of all that labor can cause you certain amount of mental grief. If base arrangement will allow you access to all 4 of the base screw holes. You can remove the lapped rings and bases together and mark the forward edge of each ring and then send the paired rings and bases assembled together to be blued.

This prevents rust from forming over the years in the lapped ID of the ring and yes this does occur even with completely blued rings as seen in the pic below. With lapped but unblued rings this rust occurs at a very rapid rate.

Done in this manner maintains the necessary friction required to hold the rotary dovetail firmly in the base. Every time you rotate ring in and out of a rotary dovetail it degrades the fit on both the male and female contact area of the set. In short the interference fit of both the rings and bases degrades to the point that renders the set up as loose as a goose and keeping the rifles zeroed is like accurately predicting when the Congress and Senate will vote on any issue together.

Here is another example of where this alignment tool also comes into its own. If the set of rings you've installed and invested all this work into allows you access to all the base screws without removing a ring, leave the lapped set of rings assembled and unscrew them from your receiver for future use or to install a higher set of rings for that 56 mm Hubble sized scope you have always wanted. When the time comes to switch the scope back to a 3.5-10x40mm use the alignment tool to reposition both the lapped lower set of front and rear base/ring combination back onto the same rifle. This is simply done by placing each base/ring back on the receiver, drawing up the scope base screws just enough to take any excessive slack out of the screws but still allowing the mount to wiggle around ever so slightly. Place the alignment tool into both bottom ring halves press the tube firmly towards the receiver and snug up each base screw through the tube body and the slots provided.

Some mounts position one or two of the scope base screws actually under a ring, usually the rear ring. This is fairly typical with older style 2 piece Redfield or Leupold windage screw rear mounts or most vertically split mounts system such as the Talley, Warne, etc. In this case you will not benefit from the use of these alignment tools during an installation or re-installation. The tools will work equally well with the Leupold QR and QRW style rings and Weaver or Picatinny style rails and rings as long as the ring placement does to obscure the base screws. Below a set of Talley Aluminum horizontally split rings are being installed using a 1" Alignment tool.

For those that might be interested in acquiring one or both of these tools I keep and quantity of these in stock and can be order directly from the shop by calling 435-755-6842 or from my Web Site at echolsrifles.com. The cost is $112.00 per tool plus the shipping cost. Please note that USPS will always be cheaper.

Modern Hunting Optics by John Barsness

Here is another heads up on a book worth adding to your personal collection. Modern Hunting Optics is filled with a mother load of in-depth information that any novice and experienced hunter will want to read. The practical and technical advise in this book come from an expert that has made a career testing, freezing, submerging, breaking, using and evaluating hunting optics from every major manufacture in the game. As optical technology for the hunter seems to morph every couple of years it is hard for even the seasoned hunter and rifleman to stay on top of what is truly fact and what is current marketing BS. 

I think John has done his best to stay on the cutting edge of this optical maze by ferreting out anything with a lens when it pertains to hunting industry then giving it the critical eye ball. This text does its best to steer the reader towards making the correct choice for their next purchase or how to better utilize what optical equipment they already have. With 20 chapters and 197 pages it is certainly well worth the price of admission. 

Shameless Marketing Alert: My scope base alignment bar was also given a mention as well and its always nice to know that you have an idea and product that makes the grade with others.

This book can be ordered directly from John Barsness at Deep Creek Press, PO Box 579, Townsend Montana, 59644 or by www. RiflesAndRecipes.com.

High Lights From SCI 2015, Outfitters and Professional Hunters

This year I elected to participate the SCI convention as a patron rather than an exhibitor. I have held a booth for over a quarter century and felt it time to view the event from the middle of the carpet for a change and spent Wednesday and Thursday walking the isles visiting old friends and meeting a few new ones. I had the notion that this means of doing the show would be less stressful and a layed back way to see friends but was always at a dead run between stops both days.

Shorty after getting my bearings I ran into the Phil Shoemaker his son Taj and later daughter Tia. Phil's wife Rocky had wisely chosen to give the convention floor wide berth for the time being. Over the next two days we re-grouped a couple of times and had a few laughs and discussed more than a few subjects. Gin somehow became the required lubricant during these brief encounters. Tia mentioned a possible opportunity that my daughter Lexi might be interested in so we'll see what transpires in the future. Being one of Alaska's few women Brown Bear guides she does indeed know where the bear craps in the woods and how to deal with the situation.

As many of you know Campbell Smith of Campbell Smith Safaris and I have shared a booth for well over a decade and a half and it was great to spend time with Cam and discuss his plans to start hunting In Mozambique along with his other opportunities in South Africa. Always at the top of game he was in prime condition and ready to engage anyone that stopped by. This year he was teamed up with  Graeme Pollock and the two of them together form a wicked combination of wit and humor. Cam was eager to have a good show and then get back across the great blue as he had a Lion hunt looming on the immediate horizon.

John Oosthuizen of Hunters and Guides and I saw each other briefly and caught up on what his plans were for the up and coming Safari season. His company is spread throughout a variety of countries and offer diverse destinations and Safari packages. Cautiously optimistic he was looking forward to the convention season and then heading home to do what he does best.

I got to spend some time with Joe Coogan and discussing his new venture. As many are well aware Joe has spent most of his life involved in the African bush as a professional hunter, writer and celebrity. He is now teamed up with some old hands and collectively have formed Africa Allways who's business model is to plan, organize and outfit African Safaris in an all encompassing package to suit all taste. I understand these services will include Fishing Safaris, Photographic Safaris, Climbing Kilimanjaro, Bird Watching, Bird Hunting and Big Game Safaris as well as a broad spectrum of other travel opportunities and offered in a variety of destinations. If Joe is involved the company has a bright future.

Athol Frylinck of Luwata Safaris was again in attendance. Zambia as we are all aware has been closed to concession hunting for over a year and a half and Athol was patiently awaiting the Zambia Government to complete their tender allocations so he might get on with the business at hand. When I left the convention the situation in Zambia was still fluid and I hope is sorted before to long. Athol has a Legend chambered for 375 Ruger and has grown fond of seeing it the rack and reaching for it when its services are required. I only hope the powers to be come to their collective senses and allow the Zambian Pros to step back into the bush soon with the same quota they have had in the past.

The Bucks and Bulls booth was neck deep in potential and past clientele every time I walked by. Having guided for this Outfitter for many years myself I was not at all surprised at the traffic jam around their booth. Specializing in Trophy Mule Deer, Elk and Antelope their quota of slots is quickly filled every year. I managed this pic early Thursday morning before crowd control was required. Somehow I got sucked back into another year guiding for Antelope in New Mexico and look forward to going down again in August. The Antelope on their New Mexico leases are worth the long round trip drive and effort.

I stopped by had a chat with Martin Nel and we instantly got into discussion about his 450 Ackley Magnum. I met Martin while on a hunt in Tanzania and we have stayed in touch ever since. Martin has the distinction of having survived a Buffalo pounding while carrying a double and seems to have gone back to a magazine rifle. As he now feels having more than 2 rounds in reserve is better. Martin has been hunting in Zimbabwe's Bubye Conservancy for a number of years and his photo album proves that he certainly knows the lay of the land and how to pull the best trophies out of his area.

I ran into Rich Guthrie late Thursday afternoon as I was about to exit the convention hall and we caught up on his recent Brown Bear hunts in the short amount of time we had. Rich is a premier Alaskan Brown Bear Outfitter and his expertise spans many decades. He has the distinction of owning one of my Classic Rifles and we have hunted Antelope together in the past and are both Whitetail Deer Fanatics. Our conversation on Thursday ended with him detailing his exploits in Ohio and Illinois to me. It's always good to spend time with Rich. 

Two full days did not allow enough time to see everyone I wanted to. You do the best you can and run like hell.

SCI 2015 High Lights-Swift Bullet Company Break Away Solids

While attending the SCI convention this week I spent quite some time speaking with Bill Hober the owner of Swift Bullet Company about Swifts new Break Away solid. This bullet has been in development for a number of years and I have anticipated its release with more than a casual interest. The bullet is made from a proprietary jacket material that houses a traditional lead core. This design allows the overall length of the bullet to be shorter than an identical weight mono-metal bullet of the same caliber and does not overly limit powder capacity. Bill also states that the composition of this bullets jacket and core design is completely forgiving in early production Classic doubles rifle barrels.

The Break Away features a radial shaped polymer tip that is attached to the nose of the bullet just ahead of typical parabola ogive section. By design the shape of this ogive and radial polymer tip will allow the bullet to impact the feed ramp at a higher position and enhance the geometry or path of a loaded round as its stripped out of the magazine. I see this as being a huge advantage over some of the current flat meplat bullets despite their performance potential once they leave the muzzle. We need to remember that the rounds must cycle through the magazine before the bullet is sent on its way. On impact this polymer nose breaks away for the bullet hence its name.  To date I have not loaded a single Break Away into any dummy cartridge cases nor have I tested this theory but I can tell by looking at the Break Away nose that getting this bullet to feed will be very simple.

This bullet does not feature any driving bands. The Shank of the bullet from the base of the bullet to the approximate cannelure position is bullet diameter and then steps down in a diameter reduction that appears to about .010 per side. As I had no micrometer to measure this I could not confirm the actual diameter. Exhaustive wet lap penetration test have proven to Bill that the Break Away delivers extremely deep and consistent in-line performance. These bullets have already been used in the field on just under a dozen Elephant and Buffalo with predictable results. I have been told that approximately 1000 of these have been sold to clients and Professional Hunters to date and I'm sure more field data will begin the trickle in from the veld as the 2015 Safari season unfolds.

The Break Away Solid is an expensive bullet to make and the retail price reflect Swifts efforts to bring it to market. Mr. Hober says that regulating the Break Away to shoot into the same point of impact as the A-Frame has been very easy with the rifles used for testing to date. Having said this the Break Away will not be for everyone but I do believe it will soon become a familiar subject around a Mopani fire ring like the legendary A-Frame and round out the Swift product line completely. I will use and test these bullets in an up and coming 450 Rigby Magnum Classic I have begun and will report my finding as they become available. As usual the Swift Bullet Company is not sitting on its laurels.